Statement of Common Cause Hawaii Executive Director Sandy Ma on Arrest of Hawaii Proud Boy

“Nicholas Ochs, the founder of the Hawaii chapter of Proud Boys and a failed Republican candidate for Hawaii state legislature, was arrested Thursday night at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu after returning from the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Ochs faces a charge of misdemeanor unlawful entry into restricted buildings or grounds.

Ochs and all those who participated, encouraged, and incited the violent insurrection must be fully held accountable under the law. What Ochs engaged in on January 6th was not protected First Amendment freedoms, but was an attack on the people, and our democracy and country. Rioters like Ochs did not just attack an institution or building, they attacked us — the people — by attempting to violently overturn the will of the voters and the results of a free and fair election. Ochs and his white supremacist organization do not represent the people of Hawaii, who understand and live the values of Aloha. He shames our state.

In our democracy, voters decide who wins elections. Free and fair elections must be the fundamental principle of our democracy. Anyone who undermines that principle is not worthy to hold any elected office whether at the local, state, or federal level let alone the Presidency. Tonight, I echo the calls for President Trump and all Republican members of Congress who voted to subvert the will of the people — and incited the violent insurrection — to resign. President Trump and these members of Congress proved they cannot carry out the duties of their office in our democratic republic and must leave office.

The violence we witnessed in the U.S. Capitol has no place in our democracy.”